Questions of Religion, Commonplaces · Commonplace 9
The ninthe Common place. Of Sacramentes.
The. xxxviij. Question.
How many Sacraments there be? also whether those be effectuall signes of Gods grace, by the which we receiue the same?
The Answere.
THe Romish church hath seuen Sacraments, of alHovve many Sacramentes there be. the which we do account but two to bée true Sacramentes of Chrystes church, and that is Baptisme, and the Supper of the Lord: and vntounto these we attribute so muche as the holie Scripture willeth vsus. And as touching these two, Confirmation & Extreme vnction or anoynting, as they be now vsed in the church of Rome, we do not acknowledge them for any Sacraments of Chryste, neither suppose wée that they hauehave their original from gods word. The other thrée, that is, penance, Imposition of hands, or Orders & Matrimonie, although we recken thē not amongst the Sacramentes of Chrystes church, as we do baptisme & the supper of the Lorde, yet we acknowledge them to be profitable & necessarie institutions of God, and very holsome for the faythfull, if they vse them in such sort, and to the end for which they were ordeined, and as the Saincts hauehave vsed them in times paste. Neither doo wée allowe or thinke wel of al those things which the church of Rome doth vse in these thrée, but we allow that only which is agreable with the worde of God. But where we allow baptisme & the Lords supper onelyonly for true Sacraments, I hauehave else where more largely taughte, shewing that it onelyonly belongeth to God, and not to man, to institute or ordeine Sacraments, the signes of Gods verity and grace, but also howe the promisses of God are in the Sacramentes and outwarde signes of his benefites.
Touching the efficacie and vertue ofOf the vertue and power of the Sainctes. the Sacraments, we answere, that all those things which God hath ordeined, hauehave power and vertue to bring to passe and performe al that, for the which they were ordeined of God, and so hauehave the Sacraments their power: to whome therfore we ought not to attribute any other thing, than that the Scriptures do attribute vntounto them, and for which causes they were ordeined. Wherefore if we finde the Sacraments ineffectuall vntounto vsus, that is not to be attributed to them, as though the institution of God were of no sorce, but it is to be attributed vntounto mē, which vse them not rightly, but without fayth. The worde of God abideth euermore true, and is left vntounto vsus for our instruction: but in that all men doo not acknowledge it to bée the truthe, and suffer them selues to be instructed therby, they, yea their lacks of fayth is the cause thereof. Simon Magus was baptised, but not purged, not for bycause baptisme is without effect, or is not the true signe of our clensing, but bycause he beléeued not. In lyke manner Judas at the supper of our lord receiued not the body of Christe vntounto eternall life, not bicause the sacrament did not represente and offer the same meat of eternall life, but bicause he receiued it without faithe.
Againe, the vse of the sacraments doWhether the sacramentes receiued do giuegive vsus grace. not therefore obtaine the grace of God vntounto vsus, bicause it is our worke, but we receiue ye Sacraments, bicause through grace we are reconciled vntounto God in Christe by faithe, and now be in his fauoure, & therfore by this meanes shewe our selues thankefull and obedient towardes him. Againe, we know that the grace and giftes of God, doe oftentimes increase and growe in the faythfull. S. Paule to the Romanes the fourth, asketh whether Abraham were iustified through Circumcision, and whether he was iustified before, or after he was circumcised, he answereth: not in circumcision, but before he vvas circumcised: and yet was not circumcision vnprositable, or a vaine signe, for he receyued the same as the seale of the righteousnesse of faithe, that is to say: to confirme and testifie yt his righteousnesse came by faithe, and that therby we be iustified. So may we say of our sacramentes, for baptisme is come in the stead of circumcision, and the fathers also did eate of one spiritual meat with vsus, as Paule testifieth, Coloss. 2. and. 1. Cor. 10.